Why yes, it’s already time for an update to my Christmas Story.
So yesterday started with the same symptoms but now with new ones added by the antibiotic prescribed by the doctors. The funny thing even I found out before even receiving the medicine was the pharmacist (not the doctor) indicated that the antibiotic prescribed would react to one of my existing daily scripts and could cause severe and dangerous heart issues. Well thank goodness somebody caught that!
When I open the box of pills there was a book of warnings and instructions (I have never seen a larger one). Just under the drug interactions warning there was a list of no less then 130 different medications. I think I would’ve been easier to list what was NOT dangerous to take. Then there was another laundry list of other medical conditions that could severely complicate or make the condition worse that could make a chapter in a book, no kidding. I began to think, what kind of medication is this and why was it even made if it can’t be used with most know medications of existing medical conditions? I was beginning to think I was given something stemming from a dangerous 1800’s wonder elixir that might create more problems than it would cure, if it doesn’t kill you.
Here’s another funny, many of the side effects I’m experiencing from the infection are also some the same side effects possible with the medication. So now I am taking doctor prescribed medication with side effects which are the same as those it is trying to cure (???). To add to that, the book of horror also lists another chapter called allergic reactions. Without going into detail some of them are anaphylaxis, angioededressma, hives, Steven-Johnson Syndrome, exanthematous pustulosis, toxic epidermal necrolysis, eosinophilia, DRESS, and many, many more that I don’t know about. Then they start talking about the possibility of serious changes to your heart rhythms and seek medical attention if fainting, seizures, or coma occurs, WAIT!,… WHAT!!!
Enough of all that stuff. One thing I can tell you is it make EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING smell and taste the same. If the smell had a taste it is the same and vise versa. I cannot really describe it other than it smells and tases like a partially metallic mild almond and some kind of heavy duty all purpose sanitizing cleaner that you would smell in a hospital.
SO HOW DID THE TSO CONCERT GO? (did I say I would do anything for my son) Let me say up front that this story would make a real funny segment in any of the National Lampoon family vacation movies.
(PHASE 1) It started with a normal drive of 30 minutes becoming two hours because of the level 3 travel emergency. It really did not feel like I was driving much, more like I was flying above the road at 30 MPH while using all controls (flaps, rudder, etc) available to keep the drift and yaw to a minimum. There was no fast, slow, stop, accelerate, passing, just a very deliberate constant crawl between 30-35mph for 45 miles. All of this along with the infection and medication side effects. it was great… NOT!
(PHASE 2) Once we arrived I thought, well thank goodness that my wife pre-paid (a large sum) for parking beside the venue, considering it was already 30 degrees below wind chill. Where was it you say?, well she did not keep the directions and considering we were downtown in the state capital, there are numerous parking garages (not just one obvious one). So when I asked her to identify which one she looked it up again. It eventually gave her an address. The address ended up being a small building where the corporate business offices are for that parking authority, not the specific parking garage. So I had her try the phone number associated with it to find it had closed for the day (no response, no on-call). We eventually circled back to the venue, stopped in the middle of the road (like everyone else) then proceeded to unload my sons in his wheelchair near the concert building.
(PHASE 3) When getting Jarrod out of the van, my wife gave me her phone telling me where the E-tickets are so we could get into the show while she parks the van in one of the available garages. It all happened in an instance and then I thought, if I have her phone how will I be able to reach her and tell her where we would be waiting for her. You see, I had her ticket in the phone too. Lucky for me I was able to remember her passcode to the phone as her phones facial recognition did not see my face as hers (smile). After digging through her “wallet” in her phone within hundreds of items I found them (she deletes nothing from her phone and never closes any applications). Then I had a wonderful idea! I can call her Apple watch to let her know where we were,… it worked… once. That was because she was in proximity of the van which was synchronized with her phone and allowed her watch to work. Once she left any distance from the van in downtown Columbus all connectivity to the watch was gone. Well 30 minutes later we finally got back together and into the venue.
(PHASE 4) As we were being directed to the seating it became aware that my wife did not purchase handicapped seating. When I asked about it she said she knew it wasn’t handicapped but thought it would still work… really? Instead it was somewhere we could not go with the wheelchair. Just about that time I became overcome with a strong urge to throw my wife over the balcony (just kidding kind of…) Just then a 102 year old usher who took 6 inch steps came to assist. He worked with the venue to find a space for use in a handicapped area 15 minutes before the show start. Five minutes later he can back telling us that the seats we were in were sold and the people were checked in at the door so we had to be moved again, to another level and section of the venue. Well seconds prior to the start of the concert we were seated, as if it was ordained to be so.
The concert itself was fantastic. If you’ve never seen the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Christmas show I can tell you that it is a must see, highly unique and very highly recommended. By the end of the show all was well and everything was better in the world… my antibiotic was having me feel better too. The drive home was even worse than the trip to the show, but after seeing Jarrod’s enjoyment and happiness it makes it all worth the effort.
MORAL OR THE STORY: If I can put up with a serious infection/sickness and all this crap, push through all the other crap along the way to achieve a special moment to last forever, than you and everyone else can too.
So that is my wish to you all… please push through all the crap in your life to make a special forever moment this Christmas for you and your loved ones. Be careful in your travels and be patient with your significant family and friends.
Have a safe, healthy, and beautiful Christmas everyone! 
